On a sweltering summer night, who wants to cook? Not me! When the temperature soars, I resist the urge to speed-dial carryout by serving no-cook meals. Employing two simple strategies guarantees your family will enjoy a healthy and tasty meal in minutes. For starters, delight in your deli counter and splurge on precooked proteins like chicken or turkey. Many come deboned and shredded. Also, learn to love leftovers, or should I say, planned overs. That way you can transform last night’s pasta into a refreshing salad loaded with veggies. Here are four of my favorite assemble-and-eat, no-cook dinners.
Skip racing through the drive-thru lane. Build your own Family-Style Muffuletta – the ultimate “healthy-ish” fast food. The olive salad makes this New Orleans-inspired sandwich de-lish. I recommend assembling the muffuletta earlier in the day and letting the savory flavors soak into the crusty bread. No need to add salt, as you’ll get plenty from the olives and artichokes. Not into salami or Provolone? Feel free to add your favorite deli meats and cheeses.
